


Revelation

by orphan_account



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Ninerose - Freeform, Pocket Watch, TenRose - Freeform, Time Lady!Rose, chamelion arch
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-15
Updated: 2016-08-15
Packaged: 2018-08-09 00:52:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7780474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose had the odd, broken pocket watch all her life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Revelation

****It had always been in her life. **  
**

Five-year-old Rose Tyler let out a frustrated cry as she tried, and once again failed, at opening the rusting circular device.

“Rose, sweetheart, no yelling,” Jackie called from the couch, phone tucked between her ear and shoulder.

When Rose had gone to her mother with the contraption, always perched on the corner of the rustic wooden bookcase in her room yet never noticed, Jackie assumed it was her father’s.

When it wouldn’t open for Jackie either, frustrated, mournful tears streaming down her cheeks, she left it with Rose from then on.

They had no use of a watch that belonged to a dead man.

oOo

“Run!”

Rose opened her eyes and turned to a man with a leather jacket and crazed eyes, and ran.

The watch was warm in her pocket.

oOo

After a night of Dickens and ghosts of Christmas past, the Doctor left her to sleep. As soon as she got to her room, already a replica of home, she collapsed on the bed in exhaustion. Subconsciously she reached underneath her pillow where the watch was kept and began fiddling with the broken clasp. It always seemed to calm her down, oddly enough.

It wasn’t long before she began to drift off, insufficient human sleep schedule she had.

“ _Rose._ ” A knock soft knock sounded on the door.

Rose startled awake, the disturbance leaving her with the odd wired-up reaction when awoken suddenly. She sat up and rubbed her hands across her face. “Yeah, come in.”

The Doctor entered and then closed the door behind him. If he noticed his error in waking her, he ignored it. “Good time with Dickens today, yeah?”

She blinked in confusion, but answered. “Uh...yeah, it was fun.” She didn’t quite understand why he had to come in her room when she was obviously trying to sleep.

“So...one trip forward, one back.”

After a moment of consideration, she realized what he was doing. She knew the first two trips were test drives and saw he was feeling her out. Did she want to stay? She smiled to help calm him - he obviously wanted her along no matter how he tried to hide it, whether for her personally or for the simple solace of company she did not know. “Yep. I was thinking something a bit more recent for the next one.”

Relief was palpable in his eyes, though he played it off nonchalantly. “We’ll see. I’m the driver, after all.”

“By recent I mean go visit my mum.”

“Ah.” He cringed. “Fine. We’ll go 12 hours after I picked you up.”

oOo

She had made a horrible mistake. The Doctor said he only took the best and there she went, messing it all up. Got him and her dad killed (well, killed again). Her tears were mostly for her father, but also for the Doctor. She was terrified he would take her home, but even more so that she had hurt him. She was hiding in the library, wanting to be alone but also wanting him to find her and reassure her place in his life.

It was an hour later that he found her cuddled up on the sofa in front of the fireplace. He sat down next to her with a sigh.

Rose sat up with an imploring gaze. “I’m sorry.”

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “I already forgave you, Rose. Really.”

“Still.”

He turned to stare at her and then opened his arms. Rose was quick to accept the hug, relief flooding her. “I’m not mad anymore, honestly. He was your father. It’s my fault for bringing you in the first place.”

She leaned her head against his chest. “No it’s not. I made a stupid mistake, and right after what you said to Adam.”

His brow furrowed in confusion. “What did I say to Adam?”

“That you only take the best.”

“Rose Tyler.” He sighed again and did a quick rub of her back. “I have a feeling that no matter what you do, you’ll still be the best.”

oOo

Everything was gold.

_So much power._

It was odd, feeling the universe fill her very being. Everything that ever was, is, and could be. It also felt like _home_. Feeling the turn of the universe did not feel as foreign as it should. It should have been impossible for a simple human to carry all that power without instantaneous death.

The TARDIS had always connected with her so easily. She had _allowed_ Rose to open her, she had trusted her with her heart.

The Doctor was scared, the Daleks were obliterated, Jack was brought back. The gold was now too bright. _Pain._ So much pain.

Then there was a kiss and all turmoil was gone.

oOo

The Doctor had changed. He changed and didn’t bother to tell her that it could _even happen_. It hadn’t been long that she realized how deep her affection for him went, how utterly in love she was.

And then he _changed_.

The problem was that she wasn’t upset he changed. For some reason, it didn’t bother her too much. It almost seemed normal, which certainly made no sense. It was that he didn’t tell her, didn’t take into account the gravity of the situation when a clueless companion was present.

He was pretty, sure, but that wasn’t what made her fall in love all over again. It was the fact that besides the new face and quirks that came along with it all, he was still _the Doctor_. He always would be. She accepted him rather quickly after that. Loved him.

He was much more jovial than his previous self (don’t get her wrong, her first Doctor had his moments, but they were few and far between).

He was very charming, which could very likely be the death of her. Perhaps the death of other beings that crossed his path, as well.

She knew the Doctor was pleasantly surprised when she quickly accepted him as the same man, could tell it was not something that happened often to him.

Perhaps she was just a bit more forgiving. Not special, though, of that she was certain and had been her whole life.

oOo

“Rose?” The Doctor entered her bedroom cautiously, eyes full of sympathy.

She could never go home, already confirmed on the list of the dead. She would never see her mother again. No friends except for Sarah Jane and the man in her room, now.

The Doctor sat next to her on the bed, where she gripped the pocket watch in her hands. He rubbed her back and then pulled her into a half-hug. “I’m so sorry. If there was a way…”

“She’ll be happy there. Has my dad back, she does.”

“She’ll miss you.”

She smiled at him, tears beginning to fall down her cheeks. “But she’ll move on. I know it. Probably won’t have anymore children. The doctors said my mother was barren, did y’know? I was a bit of a miracle. At least that’s what mum said.”

He smiled back and kissed her forehead. “Well, you are rather impressive.”

She let out a breathy laugh and wiped her cheeks, revealing the more of the watch. “Stuff of legend, we are.”

The Doctor was no longer listening, however. He was focused intently on the watch. “Rose, where did you get that?”

She blinked and looked down. “Oh. I dunno, always assumed it was dad’s. Been with me since I can remember.” She turned it over in her hand. “Broken, though. Won’t open.”

Rose was confused by his awe-filled expression as he held out his hand for it. He turned it back up and inspected the circular carvings on the front. “You said your mother was barren.”

She gave him an odd look, but he didn’t look up from the watch. “Well...yeah. That’s why she said I was a miracle.”

“Did you ever see pictures of your mother pregnant? Any signs that she was ever with child?”

“Well...no. I never really asked.” She tried to decipher the Doctor’s cryptic questions, but it did her no good. “Doctor, what’s going on? Are you saying that watch means I wasn’t?”

He took a deep breath, his knuckles going white from holding the watch so tight. “Rose, this writing is Gallifreyan.”

 _Gallifrey_. The Doctor had never told her the name of his planet before. It struck her that he never said it was his planet, or was even his language. It just came to her without question. Any out of the ordinary occurrence in her life suddenly came to the forefront of her mind. “I don’t understand.”

He turned to her and held out the watch. “Don’t be afraid. Please, don’t.” Underneath the hesitancy, he seemed joyful. “Just open the watch.”

She stared at it and then shook her head. “It’s broken.” _Not anymore. Open it._ _You must open it._ The thoughts entered her mind without preamble. It only served to scare her further.

The Doctor moved closer and placed the watch back in her hands. “It’s all right, Rose. I promise. I will be right here, always.” There was a slight tremor in his words, whether from excitement or fear she was not certain.

The earlier tears were back full force. “I’m scared,” she spoke softly, hands shaking.

“I’m right here, Rose. Always.” His voice lowered and his next words were filled with the future promises. “Forever.”

With a deep breath, she opened the watch.

oOo

She was older than the Doctor. In fact, she knew his mother back in the day. She had been banished to Earth before he was even loomed.

It was because of her younger brother. He had gotten into some trouble with the high counsel, the bunch of prudes they were, and she had defended him. In their words, she expressed _inexcusable_   _amounts of human-like behavior_. That was no way for a Time Lady to behave. Rassilon said that if she enjoyed acting like a human so much, perhaps she should be one.

Then the Time War happened. Or so she remembered the Doctor telling her. It broke her heart, what had happened to their planet. What had most likely happened to her brother.

After she opened the watch, the Doctor was suddenly more than willing to become more involved romantically. Now that her lifespan would reflect his, he had no reason to hold back. And he loved her, she knew. There was one problem, however.

He fell in love with _Rose_. What if he got to know her and rejected her? She certainly still loved him, still knew him for the man he was, but that could easily change for him. She wasn’t sure if she could handle that. They were, after all, the last two left in existence.

“Just give it a chance, Rose. Or…” He often forgot it wasn’t her given name. “Just...please. That humanity they all hated so much is what drew me to you in the first place.” He grabbed her hands. “We have to give it a chance.”

She raised an eyebrow. “That wasn’t your take before.”

He sighed and looked down. “I was afraid. I thought I would lose you. But,” he grabbed her face in his hands gently, “not anymore. Please. Just take the chance.”

If she rejected him she’d be no better than he was before. She remembered the heartbreak she had faced over the past year. Though the familiar Time Lord training affected her emotions a bit more than before, it still sent stabbing pains through her chest. How was she any better if she denied them a chance at happiness? In fact, she figured she would be worse. Without giving in, she was dooming them both to centuries of loneliness.

She would be braver than he ever was. She took the chance.


End file.
